Carry bag



June 5, 1951 E. M. DE ROUVILLE CARRY BAG 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 26,1947 June 5, 1951 E. M. DE ROUVILLE CARRY BAG 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 FiledJune 26, 1947 Patented June 5, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CARRYBAG Application June 26, 1947, Serial No. 757,111

4 Claims.

This invention relates to the class of paper bags or envelopes known ascarry bags, being paper bags or envelopes of relatively large size, forthe reception of bulky articles, and whose walls, at the upper edges,provide extensions of stronger material adapted to form a hand grip bywhich the bag may be supported and carried.

My invention resides principally in an improved construction for theclosure means at the mouth of such a bag, by which to minimize thetendency of the bag material to tear or fracture, in the manipulationsof the mouth portion of the bag incidental to the loading and unloadingof the bag or envelope pocket.

Other and further objects and advantages of my invention will be madeapparent from the following detailed description thereof, taken inconnection with the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 represents an extended view of a paper blank from which the carrybag of my invention is made, and showing also hand grip reinforcementsthat are adhesively attached near the ends of said blank.

Fig. 2 represents a side view of the blank disclosed in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 represents an edge view of the blank disclosed in Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 represents a fragmentary view, on an enlarged scale, showingcertain scoring and slitting features of my invention.

Fig. 5 represents a view similar to Fig. 4 illustrating the reverse sideof the carry bag.

Fig. 6 represents a perspective view showing the handle-forming membersin their operative I bag-carrying position.

Fig. 7 represents a perspective view of the bag after the mouth thereofhas been opened by an outward pull upon each of the handles.

Fig. 8 represents, on an enlarged scale, a sectional view takensubstantially along line 8-8 of Fig. 1, but with the flap in itspartially unfolded position.

Like reference characters refer to like parts in the different figures.

For the manufacture of my improved carry bag, I preferably employ aonepiece paper blank of the generally rectangular form shown in Fig. 1,said blank being scored transversely, as shown at l, by which to definea fold that forms the bottom of the front and rear walls 2 and 3, whenthe blank is folded thereon to provide the bottom of the bags pocket.The front wall 2 has narrow side flaps 4, 4, which, before being foldedover on score lines 5, 5, are coated with glue for adhesion (see brokenlines on wall 3) to the subsequently folded rear wall 3, thereby toclose the sides of the pocket between the two walls. This pocket, closedat its bottom by the fold on the score line I, and along its sides bythe adhesive overlapped seams 6, 6, is open at the top for theintroduction thereto of the bags contents. At the open mouth portion ofthe bag, the respective front and rear walls 2 and 3 have transversescores 1 and 8 that are in register with each other, thereby forming adouble thickness closure flap for the bag, adapted to be folded overOnto the wall 3, after the bags contents have been inserted, to closethe mouth portion of the bag.

Secured to the exterior of the front wall 2 is a handle-forming member 9of pasteboard or cardboard whose means of connection may be an adhesivearea H) which lies wholly inward of the transverse score line I. Inother words, that portion of the member 9 which extends beyond saidscore line 1, is free and unsecured to the material of the wall 2, thusgiving opportunity for the underlying wall material to be folded awayfrom said member, in the act of closing the mouth or open upper end ofthe bag. The exterior of the wall 3 carries, at its central portion, acooperating handle member ll of pasteboard or cardboard, whoseconnection to said wall is by an adhesive area l2 which is spacedinwardly from thescore line 8 by a distance in excess of the width ofthe double thickness closure means of the bag, thereby to permit boththicknesses of said closure means to be folded over the wall 3, in theabsence of interference from the attachment to said wall of said memberl2. The member 9, in its free or unsecured portion, provides a tonguel3, formed and defined by an arcuate slit [4 of the material, and forreception of the tongue, the member ll provides an aperture IS in themanner common to handle-forming members of carry bags. As shown in Fig.6, after the double thickness closure portion has been folded downagainst the wall 3, the tongue 13 of the member 9 is inserted throughthe opening l5 and bent upward- 1y against the member I, thereby to lockthe handle-forming members together and to form a smooth upper carryingedge for the fingers of the user as inserted through said opening.

Referring particularly to Fig. 7, when the hereinabove described bag isfilled with bulky contents and then quickly opened by the user, by meansof pulling each handle, the folded-over or flap portion l6 of the frontwall 2 usually opens,

while the folded-over portion or flap ll of the back wall 3 remainsclosed. Although the bag may be readily filled and emptied with the flapportions 16 and I1 thus positioned, extensive research indicates thatthe average user wishes to open the flap I1, and in so doing, it hasbeen found that this action will set up forces which many times ruptureand even tear the flap. It has also been found that the flap IE willsometimes become ruptured or torn when the handles are pulled apart inan attempt to open the bags mouth.

In order to obviate the hereinabove noted shortcomings of this type ofcarry bag, the present invention contemplates the provision of meanswhich will cause either or both of the flaps I6 and I! to hinge about apredetermined portion of the flap to the end that there is no tendencyfor the flap to rupture or tear as forces are applied thereto inresponse to the opening of the bag. More specifically, and referringparticularly to Figs. 1, 4, and 5, the back wall 3 of the bag isprovided with a pair of transversely spaced and vertically disposedslits l8 and i9, each of which slits extend across the transverse scoreline B to provide between said slits a predetermined zone, about whichthe flap I! may hinge without tearing, in response to forces which tendto unfold the flap l1 away from the body portion of the wall 3. In otherwords, these spaced slits l8 and I9 weaken that portion of the wallmaterial therebetween to the extent that this predetermined area or zonefunctions as a hinge which will permit the flap IT to be readily pulledaway from the body portion of the wall 3 without rupturing or tearingthe flap. Without these slits, the flap [1 will tend to remain in a flatposition against the wall 3, and when forces are applied to the flapwhich would tend to lift the same away from the wall portion, it hasbeen found that the score line 8 is insumcient, in and of itself, toprovide a proper hinge joint for the flap. Thus, since the flap tends toremain against the wall in a folded over position, those forces whichtend to open the flap are effective to rupture and tear the same in theabsence of the spaced slits l8 and I9.

In order to make for even a better hinge than that provided by thespaced slits l8 and IS, the present invention also contemplatese theprovision of one or more score lines and 2|, which scores are providedon the exterior of the wall 3 adjacent the transverse score 8 andbetween the slits I8 and I9. Such auxiliary score lines 20 and 2!function, in conjunction with the slits l8 and I9, to form apredetermined zone about which the flap I! will hinge in immediateresponse to any forces which tend to unfold the flap from its closedposition. In other words, the slits l8 and I9 define between them a zoneof weakened paper material which functions as a hinge to the extent thatthe flap I! will always pivot or roll about the transverse scores 8, 20and 2! in immediate response to those forces which tend to lift the flapI 1. By thus providing this hinge, all tendency for the flap to tear isobviated, for once this hinge portion of the flap turns away from thebody portion of the wall 3, the remainder of the flap is drawn alongtherewith.

It has also been found that by extending longitudinalscore lines l8 andI9 from opposite ends of the slits l8 and [9, an even more effectivehinge area may be afforded. Since a user will invariably grasp themid-portion of the flap H, in an attempt to unfold the same, it is to beunderstood that the score lines l8 and I 9', along with the slits I8 andI9, being disposed intermediate the end portions of this flap, willfunction as a hand-grasp area which will readily flex away from the wall3, thereby to permit the unfolding of the flap about the transversescore line without the usual tearing action.

Referring particularly to Fig. 4, the arcuate score lines 20 and 2| areformed in a pattern of an ellipse, and this ellipse has its major axiscoincident with the transverse score line 8. By thus forming auxiliaryscore lines 20 and 2| in this manner, the hinge portion of the flap willpermit the remaining portion of the flap to roll I about the transversescore 8 whenever forces tend to lift the flap away from the wall 3. Fig.8 illustrates how this rolling action is accomplished, and by referringto this particular figure, it may be understood how the score lines 8,20, and 2| cooperate together in producing a hinge joint. It is to befurther understood that the slits l8 and [9, in conjunction with thescore lines I8 and I9, function to restrict the hinging action of thesescore lines to the center portion of the flap, as best illustrated inFigs. 4 and '7.

Referring particularly to Fig. 5, the'interior portion of the front wall2 is also provided with a pair of arcuately shaped auxiliary scorelines22 and 23 which are formed in the pattern of an ellipse which has itsmajor axis disposed in coincidence with the transverse score I. Sincethis flap I6 is not subjected to the severe forces as are applied to theflap [1, it has been found that it is not necessary to provide this wallwith the above noted slits. In other words, when the closed bag isinitially opened by pulling the handles B and H apart, it will beunderstood that the flap [6 will normally be unfolded as a result of theopening of the bag. Furthermore, this un' folding'of the flap I6 doesnot normally result in the rupturing of the flap, for the reason thatthose forces which tend to unfold the flap are evenly distributed alongthe undersurface thereof. However, by providing the auxiliary scorelines 22 and 23, all possibility of a rupturing of this flap isobviated.

I claim: 1 1. A carry bag of the class described, comprising front andrear walls substantially coextensive in area and forming between them anopen:

, ended pocket, both of said walls near said open end being scoredtransversely to provide a double thickness fold of the bag material forthe closure of said pocket following insertion therein of the goods tobe carried, a handle-forming reinforcemerit attached exteriorly to eachwall and extending upwardly beyond the transverse score line thereof,the reinforcement on said rear wall against which said closure fold isfolded being attached to said wall in spaced relation to said scoreline, thereby to leave room below said line for the folding down of saidclosure means, and the said rear walls material being scored and slit ata pair of locations spaced along said transverse score line, said scoresand slits bein disposed substantially at right angles to said transversescore line to provide between said locations a predetermined zone aboutwhich said material may hinge without tearing, in response to forceswhich tend to unfold the folded over portion of said rear wall material.

A carry bag of the class'described, comprising front and rear wallssubstantially coexten-, sive in area and forming between them 2111011611:

ended pocket, both of said walls near said open end being scoredtransversely to provide a double thickness fold of the bag material forthe closure of said pocket following insertion therein of the goods tobe carried, a handle-forming reinforcement attached exteriorly to eachwall and extending upwardly beyond the transverse score line thereof,the reinforcement on said rear wall against which the closure fold isfolded being attached to said wall in spaced relation to said scoreline, thereby to leave room below said line for the folding down of saidclosure means, the said rear walls material being provided with a pairof transversely spaced and vertically disposed slits, each slitextending across said trans verse score line, and that portion of saidwalls material between said slits and adjacent said transverse scorebeing provided with a relatively short and substantially transverselydisposed score which, together with said slits, forms a pre determinedzone about which said material may hinge without tearing, in response toforces which tend to unfold the folded over portion of said rear wallmaterial.

3. A carry bag of the class described, comprising front and rear wallssubstantially coextensive in area and forming between them an open-endedpocket, both of said walls near said open end being scored transverselyto provide a double thickness fold of the bag material for the closureof said pocket following insertion therein of the goods to be carried, ahandle-forming reinforcement attached exteriorly to each wall andextending upwardly beyond the transverse score line thereof, thereinforcement on said rear wall against which the closure fold is foldedbeing attached to said wall in spaced relation to said score line,thereby to leave room below said line for the folding down of saidclosure means, the said rear walls material adjacent to and on oppositesides of its transverse score line being scored and slit along a pair oftransversely spaced lines located substantially at right angles to saidtransverse score line, and that portion of said walls material betweensaid spaced lines and adjacent said transverse score being provided witha pair of relatively short and substantially transversely disposedscores which, together with said spaced lines of scores and slits, formsa predetermined zone about which said material may hinge without tearingin. response to forces which tend to unfold the folded over portion ofsaid rear wall material.

4. A carry bag of the class described, comprising front and rear wallssubstantially coextensive in area and forming between them an open-endedpocket, both of said walls near said open end being scored transverselyto provide a double thickness fold of the bag material for the closureof said pocket following insertion therein of the goods to be carried, ahandle-forming reinforcement attached exteriorly to each wall andextending upwardly beyond the transverse score line thereof, thereinforcement on said rear wall against which the closure fold is foldedbeing attached to said wall in spaced relation to said score line,thereby to leave room below said line for the folding down of saidclosure means, the said rear walls material adjacent to and on oppositesides of its transverse score line being scored slit along a pair oftransversely spaced lines located substantially at right angles to saidtransverse score line, and that portion of said walls material betweensaid spaced lines being scored in a substantially elliptical shapedpattern, the major axis of the ellipse being coextensive with saidtransverse score to provide, together with said spaced lines of slitsand scores, a predetermined zone about which said material may hingewithout tearing in response to forces which tend to unfold the foldedover portion of said rear wall material.

EDWARD M. DE ROUVILLE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATEN TS Number Name Date 1,675,011 Wolf June 26, 19282,067,367 Willetts et a1 Jan. 12, 1937 2,182,261 Maas Dec. 5 19392,234,180 Lackey et a1 Mar. 11 1941 2,362,990 Crane Nov. 21, 19442,463,302 Orchard Mar. 1, 1949

